Wallboard fastener



P 1940- A. s. T. LAGAARD 7,750

WALLBOARD FASTENER Original Filed Oct. 27, 1937 Patented Apr. 16, 1940 UNITED STAT WALLBOARD FASTENER Alexander S.' T. Lagaard, Minneapolis, Minn.

Original application October 27, 1937, Serial No. I 171,209. Divided and this application Februe t ary 10, 1938, Serial No. 189,799 r 17 ,oaims; (01. 72-118 board may be attached to the supporting structure without lateralmovement of the wallboard.

A further object of theinvention resides in pro- 'viding a fastener by means of which only slight distortion of the wallboard occurs inapplying the wallboard to the fastener. 1

I An object of the invention resides in" providing a fastener having a plurality of prongs adapted to be forced into the wallboard in oppositely extending curved paths to prevent disengagement through lateral movement of the wallboard.

Another object ofthe invention resides in providinga fastener which may be attached to wood joists and in which the parts become automatically positioned in proper relation for engagement with the wallboard.

A feature of the invention resides in constructing the fastener with a base having one or more arms issuing outwardly therefrom and in attaching to said arms prongs adapted to be forced into the wallboard in diverging relation when the ends of thearms are engaged by the wallboard. v

Another object of the invention resides in constructing the arms with tongues projecting out- .the sheet metaL,

A still further object of the invention resides in constructing the tongues from the portion of the metal forming thearms.

Other objects .of the invention reside in the combination of parts and in'the details: of construction hereinafter illustrated and/or .de-

scribed.

.In the drawing:

v Fig. 1 is a perspective'view ofafastener illustrating an embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the fastener shown Fig.1. I

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of a portion of a supporting structure, a sheet of wallboard and a fastener showing the arrangement of the parts of the fastener with respect to the supporting structure and wallboard prior to the attachment of the wallboard thereto.

1 Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the parts after the wallboard has been attached.

This application is a division of my co-pending application for patent for Method of and devices a for installing wallboard, Serial No. 171,209, filed October 27, 1937.

In the installation of wallboard and particularly wallboard constructed of fibrous material it becomes extremely difiicult to install the board without theshowing of the fastening members. The present invention provides a construction whereby the wallboard maybe installed without the fasteners showing from the front of the wallboard.

For the purpose of illustrating the application of my invention I'have shown in Figs. 3 and 4 a portion of a 'wood stud in of dimension lumber, whose exposed face is indicated by the reference numeral II and to which the-wallboard is to be attached. A sheet of wallboard has been shown as PATENT oF-Fics 1 in cross section at l2 which is applied to the stud In through use of a number of fasteners 20 such as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

The fastener 20 is constructed from a strip of sheet metal which is sheared along diagonal converging, lines 24'and'25 to form two sets of prongs 26 and 21. I The lines of shears 24 and 25 extend completely. through thelateral edges of stripso that the prongs 26 and 21 are formed with sharp points. By means of this construction the strip is formed with a base 28 and with arms 3| and 32' extending outwardly therefrom. The arms 3| and 32 arebent at anangle to the base 28 as shown in 3 and as indicated at 33, and project outwardly from said base. The prongs 26 and 21 are"preferably curved, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and project outwardly from the base. These prongs are'so constructed that the points 29 thereof are situated substantially opposite the bends or corners 33 formed where the said prongs are bent away from the arms 3! and 32.

Struck out of the arms 3| and 32 are tongues 34 and 35 which are bent relative to said arms-so that said tongues lie substantially in a common plane. These tongues remain attached to the Y ilar tool.

same through which one or more nails may be inserted and driven into the stud ID for attaching the fastener 20 to the same.

The manner of applying the wallboard to the studs is as follows: To the various studs are applied the fasteners 20 which are secured thereto,

by means of nails 39 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. These nails are inserted through the holes 36 in the bases 28 of the fasteners and are driven into the studs by means of a nail set or any other sim- The fasteners 20 may extend either crosswise of the stud as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 or lengthwise thereof if desired. The sheet of wallboard to be applied is next placed in position over the various fasteners and with the rearward surface 4! thereof bearing against the tongues 34 and 35. Attachment is accomplished by placing a large block of wood such as a two foot length of studding upon the exterior surface d2 of the wall board directly in front of the facing surface l l of the stud to which the board is to be first attached. This block is given a smart blow with a hammer. When the. block overlying the board is hit with a hammer the tongues 34 and 35 bend the arms 3! and 32 about the corners and cause said arms to align with the base 28.

The width of the base 28 at the bends 33 is relatively narrow so that said arms readily bend at such localities and cause the prongs to enter the wallboard. Also the width of the connecting portions 31 between the tongues 5M and 35 and arms (ii and 32 are relatively narrow. This causes the tongues 34 and 35 to readily fold back into the planes of the arms 3| and 32. In the formation of the tongues 3d and 35 the holes'38 formed in said arms, as previously described, are constructed slightly larger than the tongues so that the tongues are readily received within the same and the said tongues, arms and base all lie substantially in the plane of the surface 4| of the wallboard it The prong 26 being formed from the metal of the arm 3i follows-with said arm as the same is straightened out and likewise the prong 2'! follows with the arm 32 as said arm is straightened out. Since the points 29 of the prongs lie directly opposite the bends or corners 33 the prongs enter the wallboard along curved paths and very little distortion of the wallboard occurs. The position of the prongs after the wallboard has been installed is shown in Fig. 4 from which it will become apparent that the prongs 26 and 21 extend in opposite and diverging directions so that the same become hooked into the wallboard and attach the wallboard to the fastener 20. It will readily become apparent that the prongs 26 and 2? are of such length that the same do not project through the outer surface 42 of the wallboard during the application of the wallboard to the fastener or after the wallboard has been applied. In this manner the wallboard is rigidly secured to the studs without means of support visible from the interior ofthe room in which the wallboard is used. In applying the wallboard to the studs the block of wood is shifted around to the various fasteners and the fasteners straightened out gradually so as to prevent tearing of the board which might occur if one of the fasteners was completely driven in before the other fasteners were partly in place.

board along predetermined curved paths. the use of the base shown, which rests upon the The advantageslof my invention are manifest.-

By constructing the fastener from sheet metal the same can be manufactured at an economical cost and a numberof prongs can be readily 'By weakening the arms at the locality of attachment to the base the arms are caused to positively bend at predetermined locations so that the prongs can be positively-directed to enter the wood studs the angle of the arms with respect to the wallboard is automatically determined so that it becomes impossible to improperly install the fastener or to apply the same erroneously. Thus it is possible to be assured of each fastener being positively applied to the wallboard since after the wallboard is installed it becomes impossible to correct any errorswhich may have beenfcommitted by the erroneous installation of the .-'fas toners, By the use of the tongues which afford appreciable bearing area for engagement with the inner surface of the wallboard the arms are positively straightened out and with a minimum amount of distortion of the inner surface of the wallboar'd so that the prongs are positively directed into the wallboard and the arms completely straightened out. By means of the construction ward said support, two prongs, one on' each side of said arm, said prongs extending transversely of the wallboard and being movable with said arm, and pressure transmitting means on said arm symmetrically disposed with reference to said prongs and for engagement with the inner surface of the wallboard, said means upon receiving pressure thru the wallboard swinging the arm back toward the wallboard and hooking th I i I prongs into the wallboard 2. A wallboard fastener comprising a base',yan

arm issuing angularly from each end of said base,

said arms diverging with respect to one another,

prongs on said arms extending transversely of the wallboard, and pressure transmitting means on each arm for engagementwith the inner surface y i "so. a

of the wallboard, said means upon receiving pres sure thru the wallboard swinging said arms toward the support and said prongs away from each other tocause the prongs to hook into the wallboard in diverging relation. I 3. A wallboard fastener constructed from strip of sheet metal bent transversely intermediate its ends at spacedlocalities to form aplani form base adapted to be attachedto asupport and two arms issuing outwardly therefrom in di verging relation, prongs struck out of the base and issuing from and movable with saidarms, said prongs extending transversely of the wallboard, and tongues struck out of said arms and. extending from the ends thereof and lying substantially in the plane of the wallboard, said tongues engaging the inner surface of thewallboard and upon receiving pressure thru the wallboard'swinging said arms toward the support and hooking theprongsinto the wallboard. I

4. A wallboard fastener constructed from a strip of sheet metal bent transversely intermediate its ends at spaced localities to forma planiform base adapted to be attached to a support and two arms issuing outwardly therefrom in ditongues substantially lying in the plane'of; the

inner surface of the wallboard, said tongues en gaging the inner surface of the wallboard and upon. receiving pressure thru the wallboard swinging said arms toward ;the support and hooking the prongs into the wallboard,

5. A wallboard fastener constructed of sheet metal and comprising a stationary base for attachment to the face of a support, an arm extending angularlyfrom said base and being integral therewith, a prong carried by said arm and adapted to enter the wallboard said arm and prong being formed by a cut extending in wardly from an edge of thebase, pressure trans-' mitting means-on said arm for engagement with the inner surface of the wall board, said means upon receiving pressure through the wallboard swinging the arm back toward the. wallboard and hooking the prong into the wallboard, said out being disposed to cause said arm at its locality of issuance from said base to be narrower than at a locality, immediately adjoining said locality to cause said arm to bend in the locality of the face of the support to bring said arm into the plane of the base when the arm is swung back toward the wallboard. j

6. A wallboard fastener constructed from a strip of sheet metal comprising a base'for attachment to a support, said strip beingbent transversely thereof to form an arm extending angularly therefrom, said strip being severed in the locality of said bend to weaken the arm at such locality and permit the arm to bend back into the plane of the base at the bend, a pron carried by said arm and formed by said severence and pressure transmitting means on said arm for means on said arm for swinging the arm back toward the wallboard and hookingthe prong into the wallboard.

, 8. A wallboard fastenercomprising a stationary attaching member for attachment to the face of a support, an arm carried by said attaching member and extending. angularly from said sup port, a prong fixed relative to said arm'and engaging the inner surface of the wallboard, and

a pressure transmitting member of extended area carried by said arm and parallel with the surface of the wallboard in engagement with the inner surface of the wallboard, said member upon receiving pressure through the wallboard swing-- ing thearm backtoward the wallboard and hooking the'prong'into the wallboard.

' 9. A wallboard fastener comprising a stationary attaching member for'attachment to the face of a support,"an arm carried by saidattaching member and extending angularly from said support, a prong fixed relative to said arm and engaging the inner surface of the wallboard, a

plate of extended area carried by said'arm and having one surface in engagement with the inner surface of the wallboard, said plate upon receiving pressure through the wallboard swing ing the arm back toward the wallboard and hooking the prong into the wallboard. 10. A wallboard fastener comprising a stationary attaching member for attachment to the face of a support, an arm carried by said attaching memberand extending angularly from said support, a prong fixed relative to said arm and engaging the inner surface of the wallboard, and a pressure transmitting member pivoted to said arm for engagement with the innersurface of the wallboard, said pressure transmitting member following along the surface of the wallboard as pressure is applied to the wallboard and swing ing the arm back toward the wallboard and hooking the prong into the wallboardj 11. A wallboard fastener comprising a stationary attaching member for attachment to the face of a support, an arm carried-by said attaching member and extending angularly from said support, a prong fixed relative to said arm and gaging the inner surface of the wallboard, a plate pivoted to said arm forengagement with the inner surface of the .wallboard said plate following along the inner surface of the wallboard upon receiving pressure from the same and swinging the arm back toward the wallboard for hooking the prong into the wallboard.

12. A wallboard fastener constructed from a strip of sheet metal bent transversely intermediate its ends at spaced localities to form a planiform base therebetween, adapted to be attached to a support and two arms issuing angularly out- 1 wardly therefrom in divergingrelation, pairs of prongs struck out of said base by converging-cuts commencing near the center of the base and extending from the lateral edges of the strip in" converging relation inwardly to the bends, said prongs being bent relatively to the base along lines closely positioned to the bends of the arms and extending laterally of the base, said arms being connected to the base through the portions thereof intermediate the prongs, said portions being narrower than the intervening portions of the base to cause the arms to bend at said bendsand tongues struck out of said arms and extending inwardly from the ,ends' of the arms, said tongues being formed by cuts having their ends disposed in close proximity to the lateral edges of the arms and said tongues substantially lying in theplane of the in'nensurface of the wallboard, the Width of said tongues at the ends of said cuts being greater thanthe width of the remainder of the arms at the'ends of the cuts to cause the tongues to bend freely relative to the arms, said tonguesengagingthe inner surface of 13 A wallboard fastener constructed from a strip of metal bent transversely to form a plani- ,form base adapted to be attached to a support and an arm issuing angularly outwardly therefrom, a prong carried by'said arm and'moveable therewith and a tongue struck out of said arm and extending inwardly from 'the end of the arm, said tongue being formed by a out having its ends disposed in close proximity to the lateral edges of the arm, said tongue being of a width at the ends of said out greater than the width of the remainder of the arm at said locality to cause said tongue to bend freely relative to the arm, said tongue engaging the inner surface of the wallboard and upon receiving pressure through the wallboard swinging said arm toward the support and hooking the prong into the wallboard.

14. A wallboardfastener comprising an attaching member for attachment to a support, an arm carried by said attaching member and eX- tending outwardly from the said support, said arm being adapted to be swung back toward the support, among movable with said arm and extending laterally of the wallboard, and a plate pivoted to said arm and adapted to engage the inner surface of the wallboard and to slide along the same, said plate upon receiving pressure through the wallboard swinging the arm back toward the support and sliding along the Wallboard to cause the prong to hook into the Wallboard, said plate throughout its movement remaining substantially parallel with the surface of the wallboard.

15. A wallboardrfastener comprising a member for attachment to a support, an arm issuing outwardly from said member and disposed angularly with reference to the wallboard, said arm being adapted to be swung back toward the support, two prongs, one on each side of said arm, said prongs extending transversely of the wallboard and being movable with said arm, and pressure transmitting means on said arm symmetrically disposed with reference to said prongs for engagement with the inner surface of the wall-- board,- said means upon receiving pressure through the wallboard swinging the arm back toward the wallboard and hooking the prongs into the wallboard; I I

16. A wallboard fastener comprising a member for attachment to a support, an arm issuing outwardly from said member and disposed angularly with reference to the wallboard, said arm being adapted to be swung back toward the support, a

prong integral with said arm and issuing from the same at the localityof issuance of the arm from the member, and pressure transmitting means on said arm for engagement with the inner surface of the wallboard, said means upon receiving pressure through the wallboard swinging the arm back toward said support and hooking the prong into the wallboard.

17. A wallboard fastener 'comprising an at uponreceiv'mg pressure through the wallboard swinging said arms toward the support and said prongs away from each other to cause the prongs to hook into the wallboard in diverging relation.

ALEXANDER S. T. LAGAARD.

'30 ting means on each arm for engagement with the innersurface of. the wallboard, said means 

